In the wake of ongoing sealing of shops in the National Capital and no visible attempt by the Government agencies to de-seal the shops sealed in December last year, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Tuesday announced “Delhi Trade Bandh” on September 28. The bandh has been called to demand immediate promulgation of an Ordinance to stop sealing in Delhi.

Prominent markets of Delhi, including Connaught Place, Chawri Bazar, Chandni Chowk, Bhagirath Place, Sadar Bazar, Kashmiri Gate, Pahar Ganj, Karol Bagh, Kamla Nagar, Rohini, markets of North Delhi, South Extension, Greater Kailash, Amar Colony will remain closed on Friday.                                           

Besides, Green Park, Kalkaji, Tughalaqabad, Khan Market, Rajouri Garden, Tilak Nagar, Uttam Nagar, Kirti Nagar, Jail Road, Laxmi Nagar, Vikas Marg, Lajpat Nagar, Shahdara, Krishna Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, etc, will remain closed, stated a release issued by the CAIT.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said the traders are suffering from sealing since a long time and sealing is being done indiscriminately and disregarding the provisions of the MCD Act by the Supreme Court appointed ‘Monitoring Committee’.

Alleging the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and ‘Municipal Corporation of Delhi’ for threatening traders to seal their shops by issuing notices, he said that it has caused havoc in trading community and affected trade in the city.

Khandelwal said the Supreme Court has not given its approval to the amendments made in the Master Plan and has posted the matter for hearing in February 2019 so there is no chances of de-sealing of shops in near future.

“The DDA has increased penalty on conversion charges 12 times which is quite unfair. Whether conversion charges would be applicable in walled city or not, has become a big question as there is no official clarity from any quarter,” he said.

He demanded that the Government should bring an Ordinance to provide relief to traders from sealing with’Amnesty Scheme’ declaring status quo maintenance as on December 31, 2017. The sealed shops should be de-sealed immediately and the notices sent to traders by municipal corporations should be withdrawn and 351 roads should also be notified, he said.

The traders’ body also informed that on the day of Trade Bandh, it will give a memorandum to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, demanding immediate promulgation of an Ordinance.